Valletta, Malta  - Two would-be illegal immigrants, including a baby, were airlifted to hospital in Malta from a fishing boat early Thursday morning.

The migrants were reported to be in a poor state of health after they had been picked up along with 50 others by a Spanish-registered fishing vessel.

In a rare move in the illegal immigration saga in the Mediterranean, the rest of the group was returned to Tripoli, the Maltese army said.

Libya has been reluctant to assist with the African exodus, even if most of Italy, Lampedusa and Malta's immigration woes are sourced from Tripoli. dpa